The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to a self-inflation device for maintaining pressure in a tire and, more particularly, but not exclusively, to a device which inflates the tire using centrifugal force and tire air pressure.
Most types of wheel tires comprise compressed air. During use of the wheel, the air pressure in a tire gradually decreases. It is desirable to preserve the air pressure within a predetermined range, and ideally constant, to prevent excessive fuel consumption, tire wear and impaired steering ability which may compromise driving safety.
Apart from regular periodic inflation of the tire, using for example a compressor, some devices exist for maintaining air pressure in a tire. These devices may include high pressure air reservoir connected to the tire, electronic means for detecting low pressure and/or other components. Some devices include self-inflation mechanism which uses centrifugal force created by the turning of the wheel to extract surrounding air which is then pressed into the tire.